​Glenn Minnis

The Milwaukee Bucks are interested in shooting guard Eric Gordon should the New Orleans Pelicans decide to deal the once high-scoring veteran prior to the Feb. 20 trade deadline.

According to the latest NBA trade rumors from Fansided.com, the Bucks are interested in upgrading their backcourt and have zeroed in on the 6-foot-4, 215-pound Gordon. Now in his sixth season, and third in New Orleans, Gordon has averaged 17.6 points, three rebounds, and three assists over his career. This season he’s averaging 15.8 points, 3.3 assists, and 2.7 rebounds.

The 25-year-old Gordon’s best season came with the L.A. Clippers in 2010-11 when he averaged 22.3 points, 4.4 assists, and 2.9 rebounds. The Pelicans currently stand at 23-29, seven games behind Golden State for the eighth and final playoff spot in the loaded Western Conference, while the shorthanded Bucks are a league worst 9-43.

Gordon’s talents were on full display for his would-be suitors Monday night, as he scored 21 points against the Bucks on 7-of-13 shooting, including 2-of-5 from three-point range. The Clippers drafted Gordon out of Indiana with the No.7 pick in the 2008 NBA draft and he was dealt to the then-Hornets in 2011-12 as part of a deal for Chris Paul.

New Orleans acquired Jrue Holiday and Tyreke Evans over the summer and envisioned using them in a backcourt rotation that also features Gordon. The trio has combined to average more than 42 points per night, but Gordon at times has appeared to be the odd man out, averaging the second fewest of minutes he has at any time in his NBA career,

In recent years, Gordon has also struggled with knee issues that have robbed him of some of his explosiveness and during the offseason was forced to undergo extensive rehab on his knee as a means of avoiding microfracture surgery. Currently the Bucks offense ranks No. 29 in the league, with O.J. Mayo reigning as the team’s top shooting guard scorer at just 12 points per game.

Glenn Minnis is an XN Sports NBA contributor. He has written for the Chicago Tribune, ESPN, BET and AOL. Follow him on Twitter at @glennnyc.